Pornography & Young People:

An Insight from North-East

England
Aylssa Cowell
Youth Work Service Manager
Streetwise Young Peoples
Project
 Background
• Streetwise is an advice, counselling,
sexual health & support service for
young people aged 13 – 25 based in
Newcastle
• Work with around 17,000 young
people each year
• Design resources, undertake
research & provide training to other
professionals in the north-east
Pornography & Young People –
The Research
• Have been surveying young people
around porn since 2005
• 4 surveys completed - Sex Survey
2005/2006, ‘Am I Ready?’ (2007) &
The Porn Survey (2008)
• Over 1100 young people surveyed in
total
• Use research to adapt our services to
the needs of young people and to
help us design resources/training
 The Findings
• Young people accessing porn has
increased year on year – young
women are more likely to report
watching it now then in 2005
• Average age of first watching is 12,
however 25% reported viewing under
10
• Technology has made it easier to
access: internet & mobiles phones
are the most common way of viewing
Young People & Extreme
Pornography
 Does Porn Affect Sexual
Behaviour?
• 80% believed porn affected the
way they had, or thought they
were going to have sex

“well I don’t use it for wanking and

that, cos that’s just sad – I use it
to get ideas... for education!”
(young man 18)
Does Porn Affect Sexual
Behaviour?
 ‘Sexting’ and Under 18’s
• Sexual Offences Act 2003 makes it
illegal for sexually explicit
photographs etc to be taken of under
18’s.
• Technology makes it easy for young
people to photograph
themselves/others
 Used a Webcam to show yourself
intimately?

17

16
no
Age

15
yes
14

13

0 20 40 60 80 100
%
 Posed for Sexually Explicit Photos?

17

16
no
Age

15
yes
14

13

0 20 40 60 80 100
%
 Been filmed undertaking a sex act?

17

16
no
Age

15
yes
14

13

0 20 40 60 80 100
%
 Have you ever sent someone sexually
explicit image or films of yourself?

17

16
no
15
yes
14

13

0 20 40 60 80 100
32% of Under 18’s
surveyed had
distributed a sexually
explicit image or film of
themselves.
These were generally
sent to boy/girlfriends of
similar age.
9% of these had had
an image or film of
themselves distributed
without their
permission
“I said no but he did it
anyway” (young
 Case Studies
• Young woman 17, being blackmailed
to keep in contact with an ex-
boyfriend otherwise he will send her
photos to her family
• Young women 15 sending photos of
their breasts to young men to have
them bluetoothed across the school
• Young men sending photos of their
penises to young women they fancy
& vice versa
• Young man 14 caught searching for
14 year olds having sex on the
 Summary
• Young people have increasing access
to porn & production methods
• Some can’t distinguish between
reality and fantasy putting pressures
on partners
• Sexual health advice is not covering
fisting and anal sex for heterosexuals
• High numbers of under 18’s are
filming and photographing
themselves and passing them on.
Social & legal consequences?